Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cake

Easy fall cake that will be enjoyed by everyone during the holidays season. Soft, moist pumpkin cake soaked with salted caramel and topped with smooth cream cheese frosting. This pumpkin cake is paired beautifully with salted caramel flavors and creamy frosting in each bite.

Pumpkin Cake

Pumpkin cake is such an easy fall dessert. I just love how moist and soft this cake is.

This is one of my favorite sheet cakes because of the moist texture and ease of preparing. I’m a sucker for moist cakes like the pumpkin cake, hummingbird cake, and carrot cake. The reason these cakes a so luscious and moist is because they are made with fruit/vegetable base.

Pumpkin, bananas, and carrots give cakes a wonderful moist and almost spongy texture. Not to mention the delightful flavor.

Starting with basic, classic pumpkin cake, you can play around with a few flavor additions. Some flavor variations of this cake that I’ve done include maple pecan, chocolate, caramel, and pumpkin spice latte.

I’m still trying to figure out the best way to prepare the pumpkin spice latte cake and once I do, I will be sure to share it right away.

How to make pumpkin cake

This cake is truly easy to prepare.

Start by beating eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes. The goal is to get is pale yellow color and slightly thickened.

After that, drizzle in oil while the eggs are still beating. I love the texture result from this step and use it often in my cakes and cupcakes.

Lower speed to medium and beat in pumpkin puree and salted caramel topping. Beat until incorporated, turn off the mixer and scrape sides and bottom of the bowl.

Set speed to low (or stir) and add remaining dry ingredients. Mix until incorporated. Remember to scrape sides and bottom of the bowl.

Pour the cake into prepared baking dish and bake.

After cake is baked, let it cool for a few minutes and poke holes all over it. Drizzle caramel topping all over the cake, making sure to hit all the holes.

Remember to cool the cake completely before frosting.

Tips for making this pumpkin cake:

I use my stand-up mixer and a paddle attachment, but it can just as easily be done with a hand-help mixer.

Remember to drizzle the salted caramel topping while cake is still warm. It will incorporate with the cake better. When drizzling, pause at each hole to get caramel in there.

You can prepare the cake part ahead of time and refrigerate in until ready to frost.

You can drizzle each cake slice with some more salted caramel topping and sprinkle with some coarse salt as you serve it.

Store cake in the refrigerator. The pan can easily be covered with saran wrap.